Device for preventing fraudulent refilling of bottles



No. 68,465. Patented Nov. I, 1898.

N. NELSON. DEVICE FOR PREVENTING FRAUDULENT REFILLING DF'BOTTLES.

'(Applicafion filed J'une 10, 11399.

(No Model.)

THE NORRIS PErznQca. pHcrmLlTnQ. WSHINGYON n c.

NITE STAT ATENT OFFICE.

NELS NELSON, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING FRAUDULENT REFILLING OF BOTTLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,465, dated November1, 1898. Application filed June 10, 1898. Serial No. 683,114 (No model.)

T0 00% whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, NELs NELSON, of New Haven, in the county of NewHaven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement inDevices to Prevent the Fraudulent Figure 1, a side view of a deviceembodying my invention; Fig. 2, a vertical section thereof; Fig. 3, asectional view on the line a b of Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a side View of theinner tube,

collar, and yoke; Fig. 5, a sectional view on the line 0 d of Fig. 2;Fig. 6, a broken View illustrating the manner of supportingthelocking-band; Fig. 7, a top View of the combined lock-case andlocking-lever detached; Fig. 8, an inside view ofthe lock-case; Fig. 9,a transverse section through the lock-case and housing; Fig. 10, a sideView of a key adapted to be used in connection with the lock; Fig. 11, aperspective view of one of the guide-clips for the bail-rods.

This invention relates to an improvement in devices to prevent thefraudulent refilling of bottles, and particularly to that class whichare attached to bottles of ordinary construction, from which they may bereadily removedto permit the bottle to be filled, but from which theycannot be detached except by an authorized person.

The object of the invention is to construct a device which, in additionto the complicated mechanism, requires that the bottle shall be turnedinto a certain position before the looking device can be released; andit consists in the construction as hereinafter described, andparticularly recited in the claims.

The device consists of a cup-shaped cap A, adapted to set over the upperend of the neck B of a bottle, which cap is formed with anupwardly-extending flange a, and its under edge rolled to form areinforcing-rib b. Over the upper end of this cap and so as to extenddownward into the neck of the bottle is placed a tube C, formed at itslower end with fingers 0. At the lower end of this tube is a sleeve D,formed near its upper end with slots 0' to receive the fingers 0,whereby the sleeve and tube are coupled together. The upper end of thissleeve extends upward into the tube and is contracted to form avalve-seat E. Below the sleeve is a yoke F, which is secured to saidsleeveby striking tongues 01 outward from the face of the tube and'bending'them over the edges of the upper end of the yoke F, which isformed with notches f to receive the said tongues. Extending through theyoke, tube, and sleeve is a pipe G, turned upward at its lower end andclosed by a flap H, having an arm H, which is pivotally connected withan eye H on the pipe. Around the pipe is a tapered plug I, adapted toenter the seat E and so close the upper end of the sleeve D. Also aroundthe pipe and above the plug is fixed a collar J, so that when the plugis in its seat the collar J will rest upon the upper edge thereof and soas to support the pipe. Within the sleeve D is fixed a wire e, in thecenter of which is formed an eye, through which the pipe extends, andfixed to the pipe between the eye and the lower end of' the yoke F is astop, which, as herein shown, consists of a coil of wire g, the upperend of which is adapted to strike the eye e and the lower end strike theyoke, whereby the movement of the pipe G is limited. Over the upper endof the pipe is placed a fan-wheel K, so 'as to freely revolve thereon,and this is held in position by a fixed washer L. The cap A is held inposition by a flexible band M, suspended from the lower edge of the saidcap by loops 1%, m, and m one only, as m, being riveted to the band. Toone end of the bandis pivotally connected a lever N, which extendsthrough an eye 0, fixed to the other end of the band'and so that as thelever is turned the ends of the band will be drawn together. To the bandis fixed a lock-case P, having a keyhole-shaped slot p, and in one endof this case is mounted a counterbalanced lever Q, so that when held inone position the arms q of the lever will lie over upon the face of thecase P and when reversed will move away therefrom. To the lever N isfixed a housing R, in which is mounted a key-post S, having at its innerend an arm T, adapted to enter the case 1 through the slot 17 thereinand be turned therein above the arms q of the lever Q. Over the post isplaced a washer 1', and through the post, above the washer, is inserteda pin 2, whereby the post is held in the housing. Over the post isplaced a shell U, having cars a, which pass through slots in the housingand so as to be turned down upon the inner face thereof, whereby theshell is held in position. The face of this shell is graduated in theusual manner of indicatingdisks of combination-locks. The outer ends ofthe key-posts may be of anyirregular shape, and the keys V to be usedtherewith have a corresponding opening and are provided with a pointerV, which when the key is turned sweeps over the shell U and so as toindicate the position of the locking-arm T. On each side of the band Mis fixed a clip M, through which extend rods M formed at their upperends with eyes m and at their lower ends with heads m and 011 the rods,between the heads and the clips, are spiral springs m Engaging with theeyes m is a bail V, supporting a stopper \V, which is adapted to restupon and close the upper end of the tube C, and preferably to this bailis fixed a loop V by which the bail may be raised so as to lift thestopper from the upper end of the tube 0 or place it thereon. Thisstopper is provided at is inner face with a rubber packing as usual withbottle-stoppers.

The bottles are filled in the usual manner, and when full my improveddevice is placed in position and the lever N turned so as to clasp theband M around the neck of the bottle and so that the locking-leverpasses into engagement with the case P, the bottle being held in suchposition that the said arm will pass over the lever Q. hen thus located,the contents may be removed by simply raising the bail so as to displacethe stopper WV, and when the bottle is inverted the pipe G will slide,so as to allow the plug Z to move toward the mouth of the bottle andpermit the escape of the contents through the seat E and through thefan-wheel K, which by revolving will not obstruct the discharge-opening.In this inverted position the flap H will fall away from the end of thepipe, so that air will enter through it, and any of the contents of thebottle which may pass outside of the sleeve will escape through theslots 0'. lVhen the bottle is held upright, the plug falls into its seatand the pipe drops down upon the upper end thereof and the fan-wheelprevents access to the plug. lVhile the bottle might possibly be filledthrough the vent-pipe, bottles could not be commercially so filled, andtherefore this would constitute no objection to this class ofbottlestoppers. Then the bottle is empty, the device can only be removedby one holding a key having an opening corresponding to the key-post Sand knowing the relative position of the locking-arm, and so that whenthe key is applied and turned so that the indicating finger points to acertain degree on the dial the locking-arm T will pass off from thelever Q. lVhen thus turned, the bottle must be held in a horizontalposition, with the lock mechanism downward, and the key again turneduntil the locking-arm T is in line with the slot 1) in the lock-case, sothat the lever N is free to be turned to release the band. After thebottle has been filled or refilled the device is again attached, asbefore described. It will thus be seen that while the contents of thebottle are readily removed the device cannot be detached, so as topermit the refilling of the bottle, except by one having a key with anopening corresponding to the shape of the key-post and knowing that itis necessary to turn the bottle into a certain position to throw thelever out of engagement with the locking-arm of the key-post.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A device to prevent the fraudulent refilling of bottles, comprising acap, a tube suspended from the upper edge thereof, a sleeve at the lowerend of said tube, a seat in the said sleeve, a pipe extending throughsaid sleeve and tube, a plug on said pipe adapted to close said seat, acollar fixed to said pipe above said plug, a fan-wheel mounted at theupper end of said pipe for rotation thereon, a flexible band suspendedfrom the edge of said cap, and means for locking the ends of the saidband together, substantially as de scribed.

2. A device to prevent the fraudulent refilling of bottles, comprising acap, a tube suspended from the upper edges thereof, a sleeve at thelower end of said tube, a seat in the said sleeve, a pipe extendingthrough said sleeve and tube, a plug on said pipe adapted to close saidseat, a collar fixed to said tube above said plug, a fan-wheel mountedat the upper end of said pipe for rotation thereon, a flexible bandsuspended from the edge of said cap, a lock-case fixed to said band andcontaining a counterbalanced guard-lever, a lever pivotally connectedwith one end of said band, and extending through an eye on the other endof said band, a housing fixed to said lever for engagement with saidcase, and a locking-lever mounted in the said housing and adapted toengage with said counterbalanced lever, substantially as described.

3. A device to prevent the fraudulent re filling of bottles, comprisinga cap, a tube suspended from the upper edge thereof, a sleeve at thelower end of said tube, a seat in the said sleeve, a pipe extendingthrough said sleeve and tube, a plug on said pipe adapted to close saidseat, a washer fixed to said pipe above said plug, a fan-wheel mountedat the upper end of said pipe for rotation tl1ere= on, a flexible bandsuspended from the edge In testimony whereof I have signed this of saidcap, means for locking the ends of specification in the presence of twosubscrib- 10 said band together, Vertically-movable rods ing Witnesses.mounted on opposite sides of said band, a 5 bail connecting the upperends of said rods NELS NELSON and astopper carried by said bail andadapted Witnesses: to close the upper end of said tube, substan- FRED.G. EARLE, tially as described. v 1 LIYLLIAN D. KELSEY.

